DOS PALOS, Calif. — Cannon Michael is a folk hero across California's agriculture heartland, where these days the price of scrap metal influences a farmer's bottom line as much that of the fine pima cotton he grows.

When thieves tore up yet another pricey water pump for the few dollars' worth of copper wire that energize it, the frustrated farmer considered taping $100 bills to the rebuilt system hoping crooks would just grab the easy money next time.

After a little more thought he warned his neighbors — and set a trap.

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